Guide to reupholstering your static caravan furniture

Benefits of reupholstering your static caravan furniture

Bright sunlight and regular use can take their toll on your holiday caravan’s seating. Not only will reupholstering your static caravan furniture give it a new lease of life it can also help to enhance your caravan’s re-sale value and really spruce up your living space.

We speak to specialists A1 Caravan Upholstery to guide you through reupholstering your static caravan or holiday lodge’s seating if it’s looking a bit “tired”.

If you’re thinking of replacing your static caravan seating entirely, always check with your manufacturer to see if the furniture in your particular model is supporting the structural integrity of any of the walls. If they say it’s okay to remove, also check with your park owner and seek professional advice or a specialist company to minimise any damage.

Common problems with ageing caravan upholstery

Director at A1 Caravan Upholstery, David Hyman, said one of the most common problems with old upholstery was fading.

“Everyday use causes the fabric to fade over time due to friction against the material,” he said. “Another factor that’s often overlooked is fading caused by sunlight.”

As well as fading and rubbing, it’s common for the seating foam to lose its vitality over time, leaving cushions looking flat and feeling uncomfortable.

“We often replace seat foam for our customers with a high quality, medium density, supportive foam known as 340 reflex foam,” added David. “We also have firmer and softer options, depending on the customer’s preference.”

Types of caravan upholstery

Because of regular use, particularly if you hire out your holiday caravan, it’s a good idea to look for high-quality, durable fabrics, which will resist constant friction and rubbing. The fabrics used by a specialist company like A1 Caravan Upholstery are often suitable for commercial use in a bar or restaurant and will be more than up to the task of domestic use.

There is a multitude of fabrics and patterns available to holiday caravan owners giving you the ability to customise your furniture and bring out your personality in its decor!

From patterned seating fabrics to plain back cushions or even real or faux leather there’s a huge variety of choices. If you look through the types of materials on offer, even the plain coloured fabrics come in different textures, such as herringbones, linens, hopsacks and even trendy velvets.

Some companies will be able to add extra detailing to armrests and mix and match your back cushions.

Things to consider when reupholstering your static caravan furniture

Before taking the plunge, consider the services and choice of fabrics on offer from the company you’re going to go with.

Some companies might ask you to post your cushions and footboards out to them via a courier, whilst others will come out to your caravan and remove the bits of furniture which need reupholstering and take it back to their workshop and then re-fit it when completed.

“Some customers may not be able to carry out these tasks, or simply don’t want to, and might even be afraid of damaging their fixed furniture,” said David.

How much does reupholstery cost?

Costs vary depending on the size of your caravan, the layout and the material used.

Typical reupholstery costs can range from £1,200 to £2,000 and new seating foam can cost from £250 to £400.

How long does it take for furniture to be reupholstered?

Depending on the size of the work, and once the items have been collected from your caravan, David told us a typical reupholstery job, and the time to return to refit the furniture, would take between seven and 14 days.

If you’re not going to be at your holiday caravan when the work is taking place, make sure you let your park owner know and make arrangements for access to be allowed into your caravan for the work to be carried out.

Holiday caravan upholstery specialists

Although it might be possible to re-cover your furniture yourself, it’s probably best to pay for a professional company that is experienced in caravan upholstery and to make sure you get a high-quality fit.

Many holiday caravan upholstery specialists will be able to meet your needs, with lots of options depending on your budget, furniture layout, and style choices.

Specialists in holiday caravan upholstery include:

A1 Caravan and Motorhome Upholstery: www.a1caravanupholstery.co.uk

Careavan: www.careavan.co.uk

Caravan & Boat Seat Centre Cover Centre: www.cbscc.co.uk

Regal Furnishings: www.regalfurnishings.co.uk

“It’s always best to go to specialist caravan upholsterers such as ourselves,” said David. “Of course a skilled upholsterer should be able to reupholster caravan furniture, but a customer can never be certain what they’re going to get with someone outside of the caravan industry. Overall, it’s always best to contact the experts.”

Looking after your holiday caravan upholstery

Depending on how much you use your holiday caravan or indeed if you rent it out will contribute to its lifespan. But keeping on top of cleaning and even applying a stain-resistant coating will help to keep your upholstery in better shape for longer.

When you aren’t staying at your holiday caravan, it can be advisable to close curtains and blinds to protect your upholstery from sunlight, especially if your unit is situated in a particularly sunny spot.

But David from A1 Caravan Upholstery said the most important element was making sure you pick a high-quality fabric.

“It’s also important to use throws if you have pets that sit on your furniture, simply due to the fact their claws can damage your upholstery,” he added. “Caravans are often a family’s home-from-home, so sometimes children may drop food on the fabric (even adults can spill a drink from time to time!) so if staining is a concern, consider a stain-resistant fabric.”

Upholstery care kits can also help you to clean the fabric and keep it looking and smelling fresh.

And don’t forget a Leisuredays static caravan insurance policy provides cover for accidental damage to your caravan furniture – from spillages to damage caused by vermin.

Over to you

Got any advice on planning or having your static caravan furniture reupholstered that you’d like to share with other owners? Please feel free to add your comments below.